Watch.



A. BANNATYNE.

WATCH.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 7, 1910.

Patented Feb. 17, 191 i 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

We QINVENTOIL m A TTORNE Y3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD BANNATYNE, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BANNA- TYNE WATCH COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

WATCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD BANNA- TYNE, of the city of Waterbury, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Watches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

This invention relates to watches, and more particularly to the stem winding and setting mechanisms.

The invention has for its object the production of simple and efficient stem-winding and setting mechanism, and to this end a rocking bar is constructed so that the wind set pinion is mounted thereon eccentrically between the fulcrum of the bar and the wind wheel and a locking lever is provided which holds the bar in its position for winding under normal conditions.

The invention also relates to the improved construction of the winding stem and crown. and the method for connectin the same to the wind set pinion, together with other com binations and improvements hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front view of a portion of the movement of a watch in the watch case embodyin the invention, Fig. 2, a similar view of the movement parts alone, Fig. 3, an enlarged detail side view of the cannon pinion and center arbor, Fig. 4, a similar view in vertical section, Fig. 5, a reverse view of the top movement plate, Fig. 6, a similar view with the rocking bar and associated parts shown in different positions, Fig. 7 a front view corresponding to Fig. 2, with the parts shown in the positions corresponding to Fig. 6, Fig. 8, a transverse horizontal section through the rocking bar on line 88 of Fig. 5, Fig. 9, a similar view with the locking lever shown in its raised position, some of the parts shown in section, Fig. 10, a detail view of the stem and crown, Fig. 11, a similar view showing the connection between the stem and the stem wind pinion and the locking lever, Fig. 12, a vertical section through the crown and upper end. of the stem, Fig. 13, a top view of the upper end of the stem and the inner crown piece,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 7, 1910.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1914.

Serial No. 542,443.

Fig. 14, a front view of the bridge and stem wind pinion, Fig. 15, a view partly in section showing the connection between the front movement plate and the case of the watch, Fig. 15, a horizontal section through one of the pillars supporting the two movement plates, Fig. 16, a top view of a modified form of pillar, and Fig. 17, a side elevation of the same.

In all figures, similar letters of reference represent like parts.

Referring to the drawings, the parts designated by the letter A represent the casing of a watch, which consists of the ordinary ring; B, the front movement plate which is secured to the rear movement plate C by means of pillars D which may be formed with an annular flange F adapted to enga e the internal flange G on the casing. In tl ie flange G is located a curved recess H through which the annular flange F may pass when the parts are being assembled, and upon the movement being turned slightly about its center the flange F will engage on the under side of the flange G.

I designates the shaft of the cannon pinion which is provided on its side with more than two internal depressions J, and the upper end of which is closed, as shown at K. lVhen the pinion is fitted over the center arbor L the depressions J will frictionally engage an annular recess M in the center arbor so as to be held thereon, so that it will not be readily removable and will normally rotate with the center arbor L, but owing to the frictional contact it may be rotated independently of the center arbor in setting the hands of the watch. As the shaft of the cannon pinion is provided with a closed end K, it may be forced on the center arbor L until the upper end of the center arbor contacts with the closed end of the shaft K (Fig. 4). This permits the cannon pinion to receive pressure when the minute hand is forced on the upper end of its shaft without destroying the frictional. engagement between the pinion and the arbor.

N represents the winding train and O the setting train.

I designates the wind-set pinion, the shaft Q of which projects through a slot R in the front movement plate B and is connected or mounted on a lOCKiDg bar S pivoted on the inner side of the front movement plate at T. A spring U normally holds the rocking bar in the position shown in Fig. 5, when the arbor or shaft Q of the wind-set wheel P will abut against one end of the slot R, and ti e wind-set wheel will mesh with the winding train N. The ends of the slot R limit the movement of the wind-set wheel P so that it cannot engage too tightly either the wind train gear for the set train gear 0. When the rocking bar S is moved in the reverse direction against the tension of spring U the wind-set wheel P is moved from the position shown. in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it is engaged with the wind train gear N to the position shown in Fig. 7, wherein it is engaged with the setting train gear 0.

Above the wind-set wheel P is a pinion V adapted to be engaged by the stem wind pinion IV which is mounted on the stem X of the watch. The stem X is adapted to project through a bridge Y mounted by screws, or other suitable means, on the front of the front plate, and having a depending piece Z adapted to carry the shaft A of the stem wind pinion IV. This stem wind pinion IV, as shown more particularly in Fig. 14, is provided with an angular open ing B for the reception of that portion C of the stem, which is formed angular in cross section. By this engagement the stem wind pinion IV is rotated with the stem X.

The inner end of the stem X is provided with a head D and a reduced portion E which reduced portion is adapted to fit into a depending, bifurcated piece F on the looking lever G, so that longitudinal movement of the stem X will rotate the locking lever G on its pivot H.

The fulcrum or pivot of the locking lever is shown screw threaded to engage corresponding screw threading in the rear movement plate C, a portion of which is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so that the locking lever G is capable of a limited lateral movement when its pivot pin is screwed in or out of the plate G from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 9. In the position shown in Fig. 9, the bifurcated portion F of the locking lever G is moved laterally away from the head D of the stem X so that the stem X may be drawn out longitudinally and disengaged from the locking lever G, and the stem wind pinion IV. The locking lever G is provided with a notch I, an inclined face J, a straight edge K, and a finger L. The rocking bar S is provided with a stud M adapted normally to rest on the straight edge K of the locking lever, but if the rocking bar S is moved laterally so that the stud M comes opposite the inclined face J and the stem X is moved longitudinally while still engaged with the locking lever G the stud M will travel down the inclined face J into the notch I and this movement of the stud M forces the rocking bar S to the right (Fig. (3) and brings the wind-set pinion P mounted thereon to the left into the position shown in Fig. 7 wherein it engages the set train 0.

The finger L on the locking lever G prevents a displacement of the locking lever when the stem X is pushed in because it abuts against an upturned shoulder N on the rocking bar S.

To move the stud M along the straight edge K of the locking lever G, it is only necessary to turn the wind wheel V in the reverse direction (see the arrow, Fig. 7) to that in which it ordinarily rotates when winding the watch, because the action of the spring U in holding the wind-set pinion P yieldingly against the cooperating gear of the winding train is overcome by the ro tation of the intermeshing pinion V in the direction indicated, thereby shifting the lever G to a certain extent in a direction away from the winding train. This clears the pinion I from the winding train, with which it is normally engaged, and the stud M reaches such a position with respect to the edge K of the locking lever G that by pulling on the stem X said stud will move along the inclined face J of the locking lever and into the notch I of the locking lover, whereby the rocking bar S is laterally shifted and locked in position with the windset pinion in mesh with the setting train.

When the wind-set pinion P has completed its oscillatory movement and is engaged with the set train gear 0 its shaft will contact with the end of the slot It and the rocking bar S will be held from backward movement by the stud M being ongaged in the notch I of the locking lever G until the inward longitudinal movement of the stem X forces the stud M out of the notch I, whereupon the spring U will return the parts to their normal position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

The right angled piece Z of the bridge Y is provided on its face with a notch O which is adapted to engage the internal flange G of the casing A and to hold the upper end of the movement in the casing until the stem is forced into place,

The stem X is provided with a crown which is formed of two parts, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1'2, an outer crown piece P and an inner crown piece Q. This inner crown piece Q is provided with a depending tubular part B through which projects the upper end'of the stem X. The upper end of the stem X is then squared by a tool, as shown in Fig. 13, so that it engages the inner crown piece Q, to rotate therewith. The crown piece Q is in turn rigidly secured within the outer portion of the crown piece P so that the stem X is necessarily rotated with the crown piece P.

In Figs. 16 and 17, a modified form of pillar for the movement plates is shown wherein instead of a flange on the pillar D a lip S is struck up from the pillar itself which will engage the under side of the flange G of the casing when the parts are assembled in the same way that the flange F of the pillar D does in the form shown in Figs. 1, 15 and 15*.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that my improved stem winding and setting mechanism is of such simple form that it is particularly well adapted to watches of the cheaper grades. The pinion or wheel IV is always in rotative engagement with the stem, irrespective of the longitudinal adjustment of the latter, and this wheel or pinion IV is in turn always in operative relation to the wind-set wheel V. The wind-set pinion P, moreover, is so mounted on the rocking bar or yoke S that it is in continual mesh with the wind-set wheel V. By this arrangement, and the provision of the spring, or its equivalent, acting on the rocking bar or yoke, the stem will be simply and quite directly geared with the winding train, under normal conditions, and when it is desired to set the watch, it is merely necessary to pull out the stem so that by the engagement of the inclined surface J of the member G with the projection M of the rocking bar or yoke, the latter will be swung on its pivot to carry the wind-set pinion P into mesh with the setting train. The engagement of the wind-set pinion with the setting train will be maintained as long as the stem occupies its outermost position, but when the stem is again pushed in the member G at tached to the inner end portion of the stem will move out of the path of the projection M of the rocking bar, and permit the latter to swing back to its former position under the action of its spring.

The construction of the watch is very much simplified by having the rocking bar or yoke located at the inner side or face of the front movement plate in the manner described and by having the pivot of said rocking bar or yoke eccentrically located with reference to the wheel V and yet approximately in line with the axis of the stem. The wind-set pinion P is effectively limited in its movement by means of the slot It in the front movement plate through which the arbor of said pinion projects. The lever G lies in a plane parallel to that of the rocking bar or yoke and the stud or pin M projects perpendicularly from the rocking bar or yoke into cooperation with the edge of the locking lever. I do not limit myself, however, to a construction in which the pin or stud M is carried by the rocking bar or yoke, as an obvious reversal of the parts would be within the scope of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In stem winding and setting mechanism for watches, the combination with the front movement plate, of a longitudinally movable rotary stem, a wind-set wheel, means for transmitting rotary movement from said stem to said wind-set wheel in the various lengthwise adjustments of the stem, a winding train on the front or outer face of said movement plate, a setting train on the front or outer face of said movement plate, a wind-set pinion interposed between said trains, a rocking bar located at the inner or rear face of said movement plate and pivoted eccentrically of said wind-set wheel, said wind-set pinion having an arbor secured to the end of said rocking bar and projecting through a slot in said movement plate, and means of connection between. said rocking bar and said stem whereby said wind-set pinion is moved laterally from one train to another as said stem is moved lengthwise; substantially as described.

2. In stem winding and setting mechanism for watches, the combination with the front movement plate, of a longitudinally mo *able rotary stem, a wind-set wheel, means for transmitting rotary movement from said stem to said wind-set wheel in the various adjustments of the stem, a winding wheel on the front or outer face of said movement plate, a setting wheel on the front or outer face of said movement plate, a wind-set pinion interposed between said winding wheel and said setting wheel, a rocking bar pivoted to said plate at the inner or rear face thereof approximately in line with said stem and eccentrically of said wind-set wheel, an arbor for said wind-set pinion secured to said rocking bar and ex tending through a slot in said plate, a spring acting on said rocking bar to hold said \vindset pinion normally in mesh with said. winding wheel, and means of connec tion between said rocking bar and said stem whereby said wind set pinion is carried into mesh with said setting wheel as said stem is pulled outward; substantially as described.

3. In stem winding and setting mecha nism for watches, the combination with the front movement plate, of a longitudinally movable rotary stem, a wind-set wheel operated i'zhereby, a winding wheel on the front of said movement plate, a setting wheel on the front of said movement plate, a rocking bar the rear of said movement plate pivoted eccentrically of said wind-set wheel,

a Wind-set pinion interposed between said Winding Wheel and said setting Wheel and having an arbor mounted on the end of said rocking bar and projecting through a slot in said plate, a pivoted operating member connected With the inner end of said stem and lying in a plane parallel to said rocking bar, and a pin 01' stud extending perpendicularly from (me of said last named parts into cotiperating engagement with an 10 inclined edge of the eoiiperating part; substantially as described.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 28th day of January, 1910.

ABCHIBALD BANNATYNE. lvitnesses SAMUEL H. FISHER, M. OLIVE VVILLIAMS.

Copie: of chi: patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01 Patentl, 

